The embodiments described herein relate generally to racks for use with washing appliances and, more particularly, to an adjustable rack assembly for use with a washing appliance.
At least some known washing appliances are dishwashers with at least two racks for supporting items within a tub of the dishwasher. At least some known dishwasher upper racks are adjustable within the tub to different heights. Such known adjustable upper racks are movable to a top position and to a bottom position using a vertical slider with a locking lever. More specifically, a vertical slider is coupled to each side wall of the rack, and the lever is biased to a locking position. To adjust the height of the rack, the lever is pulled away from the vertically slider to an unlocked position and the rack is slid along the vertical slider. However, holding the lever in the unlocked position while attempting the move the rack vertically can be difficult. Further, the vertical slider and locking lever only allow the rack to be positioned at two different heights.
Moreover, such adjustable upper racks are coupled to the side walls of the tub at horizontal slider assemblies. More specifically, each slider assembly includes rollers coupled to the side walls at a fixed height. The upper rack is movable into and out of the tub along the rollers. Because the rollers are coupled at a fixed height, the height of the rack is adjusted with respect to the horizontal slider assembly, and the height of the horizontal slider assembly cannot be adjusted. Additionally, the upper rack cannot be removed from the horizontal slider assembly for removal from the tub.
Another known adjustable rack system includes a rack having three rows of wheels positioned with respect to each side wall of the rack. More specifically, at least an upper row, a middle row, and a lower row of wheels are coupled to each side wall. A slide is coupled to each side wall of a tub of the dishwasher. The rack can be positioned on the slides such that the slide is between the upper and middle rows of wheels or between the middle and lower rows of wheels. However, such a rack system requires a user to completely remove the rack from the slide and re-position the rack on the slide by inserting the slide between two rows of wheels.